N. MATERIA MEDICA, THERAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 549 



tarrh, but all, even small children, soon become accustomed 

 to it. All the ingredients may be combined at once instead 

 of in separate portions (as given), but the mixture may then 

 acquire, with an aniline tint, a penetrating, disagreeable odor. 

 15 (7, 1874, xiv., 233. 



PATHOLOGY OF MUMPS. 



According to Bouchut, mumps, which have been considered 

 as an inflammation of the parotid gland in adults, or a some- 

 what similar affection in children, really arise from a reten- 

 tion of saliva, caused by a catarrhal inflammation of the pa- 

 rotid duct. Under the influence of this catarrh of the excre- 

 tory canal a temporary obstruction is caused, which retains the 

 saliva. In healthy children this disease is not a serious one, 

 as suppuration does not take place. On the other hand, how- 

 ever, where suppuration does occur, death often results. The 

 only way of averting this, according to the author, consists 

 in making numerous small incisions in the substance of the 

 parotid, before the pus, which is infiltrated into its substance, 

 has time to collect. 



HAY FEVER. 



Dccaisne has lately been prosecuting some inquiries in ref- 

 erence to the disease so well known in this country under 

 the name of hay fever, or rose cold, and he remarks that the 

 affection appears to attack agriculturists and persons of other 

 occupations indifferently, and that there is no greater tenden- 

 cy to it among hay-makers and farmers than any other class 

 of the community. He therefore maintains that the emana- 

 tions from forage plants have, at most, a very secondary in- 

 fluence in the case. All the symptoms of the disease are ex- 

 hibited, at any season, as the result of sudden exposure to 

 cold when the body is in a condition of perspiration, whether 

 subjected or not to dust or other irritating emanations. 



The author does nut think the annual periodicity, which is 

 usually given as one of the characteristics of the disease, to be 

 Avell established ; many persons, according to his observation, 

 being sometimes free for years in succession, and others ex- 

 periencing several attacks at irregular intervals. The diffi- 

 culty of breathing, which is sometimes considered an insep- 

 arable condition of hay fever, the author maintains to be sim- 



